A big part of Andy Dalton’s life growing up in Katy, Texas, was volunteering and helping others. When he was drafted by the Bengals last year, he knew he wanted to start a foundation but thought it might take a while to start. It came together faster than anticipated.

Last Thursday Dalton announced the start of the Andy & Jordan Dalton Foundation, whose primary focus is to provide seriously ill and physically challenged children throughout Greater Cincinnati with daily support and life-changing experiences. The foundation’s first charity event will be a Celebrity Waiter Night at Jeff Ruby’s on June 10 at 6 p.m.

“Last year right after I got drafted I went to an event for Andrew Whitworth’s foundation and got to see everything. We also went to an event for Brian Leonard’s foundation,” Dalton said. “This process has taken a while as far as getting the paperwork done but I’m glad it’s getting started.”

As far as what events Dalton’s foundation will host, those details are still in the planning stages. One thing he suggested was taking kids and their families to Kings Island.

“We’re really trying to make an impact for kids and their families,” Dalton said. “That was one of the things when we were first thinking about it was where did we want to serve. It is something that will be good for the area.”

For the foundation’s first charity event, Dalton and his Bengals teammates will serve 200 guests a four-course meal. There will also be an auction. Tickets, which start at $250, go on sale Monday and will be available at andydalton.org.

“It’s been a really big year. It’s crazy to think a year ago I was sitting at home wondering where I was going,” Dalton said. “I’m glad we’re getting started with the foundation.”

More opportunities

With the roster expanded to 90 players for the preseason, the Bengals won’t have to have any releases of three or four younger and developmental players after minicamp, which coach Marvin Lewis likes.

Said Lewis: “The fact was, a guy could come in here and bust his tail for me for six weeks, then we get to the first or second day of training camp, and he doesn’t get that opportunity to go out there and show the other 31 teams what he can do. That’s OK that he’s not going to make our club, but if I can have a chance to show, maybe for somebody else, that’s important.”

After the lockout ended last year, rosters for the preseason were extended to 90 because there were no preseason workouts. Lewis said one person who benefited from that who is on the roster was wide receiver Andrew Hawkins.

“It provides an opportunity for guys who aren’t drafted to come in and make a football team,” Lewis said. “Then you look up two or three years later and they become the nuts and bolts of your football team because they remember how they got here. They don’t take anything for granted.”